...and switched to another brand and liked it as much or better?
I've owned an Arai RX7-RR4 and loved it.
The new Arais don't fit the same.
I need a new lid and am thinking of an AGV or Suomy.
I tried the Suomys and the Vandal definitely won't work...the Spec 1R and Extreme are better, but not as comfy as my old Arai.
Suggestions?
Went from Arai to Shoei and the Shoei fits much better.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 16, 2009, 04:42:57 PM
...and switched to another brand and liked it as much or better?
I've owned an Arai RX7-RR4 and loved it.
The new Arais don't fit the same.
I need a new lid and am thinking of an AGV or Suomy.
I tried the Suomys and the Vandal definitely won't work...the Spec 1R and Extreme are better, but not as comfy as my old Arai.
Suggestions?
Arai's have several different Fits to them. IIRC the Profile is designed for an oval shaped head, the Corsair and Another one for Round-oval, and there is yet another one for round heads. It might be that you tried some that weren't your fit.
Have an Arai Quantum F. Bought an HJC Carbon and love it. The HJC is much louder and not as plush. Its much cooler (air flow wise) than the Quantum but Im sure not as good as the RX7. Its very light and a very good value and it fits my Arai shaped melon.
Also, the CF on the HJC is gorgeous, I could stare at it all day.
Other than the Arai Jolly Roger helmet; which I wont afford, the HJC is the tits!
Quote from: El Matador on April 16, 2009, 04:46:31 PM
Arai's have several different Fits to them. IIRC the Profile is designed for an oval shaped head, the Corsair and Another one for Round-oval, and there is yet another one for round heads. It might be that you tried some that weren't your fit.
The Profile definitely didn't fit. IIRC the RX-7 was a round oval
Truth be told, a friend is a PU dealer and I can get good pricing on Suomy and AGV, so I'm looking for peeps that have made the switch in that direction.
i currently ride with an ooooold arai quantum /s.
gawd is that helmet comfortable. I went to the local dealers yesterday, and although there isnt much in this town, i absolutely HATED everything i tried on. (tried HJC, these actually were the best in the storeroom but not great in the wind, as i have one of these on the shelf as well at home) also tried on scorpion, ICON airframes and shoei RF-1000 and all fit worse than the arai
suomy and agv were the two brands they didnt stock, so im looking into taking a road trip to try on those two brands. (cannot afford a new arai unfortunately) id also like to try the schuberth non modular models at some point
i've found that shoei, and shark, fit me like absolute crap compared to the arais that I've had.
nobody local stocks suomy, so I don't have the first clue how one might fit me.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 16, 2009, 05:36:46 PM
The Profile definitely didn't fit. IIRC the RX-7 was a round oval
Truth be told, a friend is a PU dealer and I can get good pricing on Suomy and AGV, so I'm looking for peeps that have made the switch in that direction.
Never bought an AGV but did try one on. It was the GP Tech Rossi helmet. That sh*t was BIG, the shell is what I'm referring to. It was larger in size and noticeably heavier than the Arai RX7 as well. Wanted to buy it but changed my mind after trying it on.
I owned a Suomy Ducati helmet a few years back, it wasn't from the Spec 1R line, I can't remember which model though. It fit much like my Shoei RF1000. Same size and feel too.
Quote from: teddy037.2 on April 17, 2009, 02:16:11 PM
i've found that shoei, and shark, fit me like absolute crap compared to the arais that I've had.
nobody local stocks suomy, so I don't have the first clue how one might fit me.
Personally I tried on the Suomy and it did not fit me as well as the Arai.
Quote from: duclvr on April 19, 2009, 08:23:10 PM
Personally I tried on the Suomy and it did not fit me as well as the Arai.
boo, then. :(
Tried a Suomy; I have an Arai RX-7. Suomy a little lighter, bit noisier, and tighter (smaller shell, perhaps?). I didn't keep it long enough to "break-in".
Ducpainter, can't say I've tried the AVG or Suomy yet (didn't they leave the US market?), but I'm also in the market for a new "long oval" helmet and I also fit the old RX7 much better than the new corsair-v. If you really liked it, there are still lots of 2008 RX7s to be found. Or the Arai Profile is supposed to be the same long oval shape. I also fit the Shoei X-11 pretty well...
Quote from: rgramjet on April 16, 2009, 05:16:30 PM
Also, the CF on the HJC is gorgeous, I could stare at it all day.
Is the HJC sticker on the front under a clearcoat or is it removable? Thanks.
Aren't Ducati's private label helmets made by Suomy?
Under the clearcoat, thats the first thing I checked but got it anyway.
Quote from: TobyDanger on April 20, 2009, 12:25:47 AM
Ducpainter, can't say I've tried the AVG or Suomy yet (didn't they leave the US market?), but I'm also in the market for a new "long oval" helmet and I also fit the old RX7 much better than the new corsair-v. If you really liked it, there are still lots of 2008 RX7s to be found. Or the Arai Profile is supposed to be the same long oval shape. I also fit the Shoei X-11 pretty well...
Is the HJC sticker on the front under a clearcoat or is it removable? Thanks.
I think both AGV and Suomy are still here.
The Profile just isn't the same. I tried one on.
I may very well end up with another Arai. I'm just looking to take advantage of a discount on a current year helmet.
Profile and Vector are similar, I forget which is closer to the fit of the RX7.
i hear good things about the quantum 2,. for round to neutral heads i believe.
The RX-7 was a long oval.
That's what I need.
Anyone have any info on the AGV or Suomy with regard to the shape?
I'm not concerned about noise. My Arai was noisy.
I'm not in the position to buy a new Arai, and IMO all the new helmets are different from the RX-7 anyway, so I'm looking to change.
I've owned an HJC in the past and they don't fit.
I went from Arai to AGV. The price was half the Arai and the fit was just as good. I had an XS Q and now have an XS S4.
I like the shape of the bottom sides. It is curved up and I can turn my head all the way to either side without hitting the neck of my Stitch. The S 4 is lighter then my Arai also.
Quote from: Little Monkey Toes on April 21, 2009, 03:01:47 PM
I went from Arai to AGV. The price was half the Arai and the fit was just as good. I had an XS Q and now have an XS S4.
I like the shape of the bottom sides. It is curved up and I can turn my head all the way to either side without hitting the neck of my Stitch. The S 4 is lighter then my Arai also.
Thanks...
That's what I was looking for.
I'll probably get a GP Tech or Ti Tech so the shape at the bottom edge will be a little different.
Anyone else?
Man...
I tried on a GP Tech a few months ago and was flipping FURIOUS that i couldnt afford to buy it.
It fit me like a second skull, and it was a Rossi relpica to boot.
If you have the cash for a GP Tech, i doubt you'll be disappointed at all.
Quote from: OT on April 19, 2009, 09:39:11 PM
Tried a Suomy; I have an Arai RX-7. Suomy a little lighter, bit noisier, and tighter (smaller shell, perhaps?). I didn't keep it long enough to "break-in".
+1
I've had a Suomy Spec-1R Extreme for nearly 4 years now and picked up an Arai RX-7 about 6 months ago. My Suomy def feels lighter than the Arai and is a bit noisier on the freeway. I do feel that it fits snugger than the Arai, but nothing that new cheek pads in the Arai won't fix.
The Suomy's been virtually problem free for all 4 years...at some point, the "switch" on the top of the lid broke so that I can no longer open or close the top vent hole--at least it broke with it in the closed position. This wasn't a huge issue for me because the Suomy has a couple larger vent holes on either side of the lid that
do not have a switch to open and close them. Also, the Extreme version of the Spec-1R come with iridium shields that have some sort of anti-fog film on the inside. I don't think it's that effective and I used to ride in the rain a lot in Seattle and the film started peeling up around the edges.
I'm liking the RX-7 more right now--but it's newer so of course I do. It has the same number of vents, except that all of them have switches to open and close them, which I like. I would've replaced the Suomy with another one because I was satisfied and it still has a great price point for me, but I found a great deal on the Ducati RX-7 so I picked it up. All in all, I love both lids and would buy either one again when it comes time to replace.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 20, 2009, 04:30:14 AM
I think both AGV and Suomy are still here.
The Profile just isn't the same. I tried one on.
I may very well end up with another Arai. I'm just looking to take advantage of a discount on a current year helmet.
I have an Arai Signet. The Arai Profile is the "replacement" for the Arai Signet, which was a little longer and slightly narrower in fit than the RX7.
In the past I had an HJC AC11. I can't really compare the two fairly, because I didn't know how to fit a helmet when I bought the AC11 and ended up with one that was too big.
(http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp315/DBLEGL/DSCN0047.jpg)
Suomy Vandal, Bayliss Replica
(http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp315/DBLEGL/DSCN0048.jpg)
Suomy Vandal , Bayliss Replica
(http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp315/DBLEGL/DSCN0050.jpg)
Arai, Quantum 2
(http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp315/DBLEGL/DSCN0051.jpg)
Shoei, X-11
(http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp315/DBLEGL/DSCN0169.jpg)
Last Generation Arai Corsair RX-7
(http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp315/DBLEGL/DSCN0168.jpg)
New Generation Arai Corsair V
Last Generation Arai fits good. Suomy fits good, Arai Quantum 2 fits good, Shoei X-Eleven fits good, New Generation Arai doesn't fit so good. It sits lower on my head so that I can't see very good riding my " R " without cocking my head back some which is uncomfortable.
I'd read the reviews on webbikeworld about the AGVs. Dolph
Thanks for the suggestion.
It seems that reviewer is critical of all the big buck helmets.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 23, 2009, 04:43:27 AM
Thanks for the suggestion.
It seems that reviewer is critical of all the big buck helmets.
I rode 100 + miles today wearing the yellow Shoei X-Eleven that I posted above.
It was the 1st time I have worn it this season and it was uncanny how quiet it was and the air venting was very noticeable even wearing a Helmet Liner.
I have yet to pick up a next Generation Shoei X-Eleven to compare it to the last Generation. Dolph :)
tried on a corsair V today down at the dealership...
circumference, it fit me about the same as my RX-7. I noticed there seemed to be more room up top, and extended chin coverage by the shell on the new one
chances are I'll be replacing my RX-7 w/another one (on mad sale!) but the new one wasn't too odd of a fit for me.
I have owned two arais, one astral and one profile. couldnt have been more happy with either one after purchase. ive also tried shoei and scorpion, but nothing fit, feels, or performs like an arai. they seem to be the most comfortable, the most functional, the lightest, plenty of venting, excellent peripheral vision, not to mention... top rated for what like over a decade now. ill be shocked the day i try a helmet i like better.
Ever consider an OGK FF-5 instead? I believe Simon (on Speedzilla) has a decent return policy if it doesn't fit and like most top end helmets there are a different size cheek pads available to get the right fit. Here's the link.
http://www.moto-works.jp/ogk/index.html (http://www.moto-works.jp/ogk/index.html)
I've heard nothing but raves about them on a number of forums and the shape sizing is supposed to be similar to the RX7 from what I've read.
I was considering an RX-7 of my own (I've tried friends on extended rides) but I think I'll be going this route instead when my Shoei 1000 reaches it date in the next year or so.
edit: some pics
(http://www.moto-works.jp/ogk/replica_images/akiyoshi_gp.jpg)(http://www.moto-works.jp/ogk/ogk_images/ff5_normal.jpg)
(http://www.moto-works.jp/ogk/ogk_images/ff5_standard_m_black.jpg)
just thought id jot my impressions of my new suomy spec-1r (couldnt find an extreme for a decent price)
its light as all hell, comfortable as all hell. the paint, graphics and iridium shield all look "the dogs" as they say
i seriously love this helmet. in fact my next helm was going to be an arai but now i have to decide between arai and another spec 1r (i dont like the vandal)
little more wind noise than my nexx. if you turn your head you may get some whistling. its also less round (to my feel) than my nexx which i say is pretty similar to my arai quantum.
all in all i dont think many people would be unhappy with a spec1r. id take it over an agv for sure
good luck let us know what you end up with and if you like it [thumbsup]
Sooo....
I finally got an AGV GP-Tech.
I haven't worn it on the bike yet but do have some initial impressions.
First of all I ordered solid black, but one with graphics arrived. The simple graphics are only $50 more so I'll keep it.
The helmet is light. I believe lighter than my Arai.
The shell has a very strange shape in the rear, but I can't see the back when I wear it. It is a difficult helmet to get in to. If you don't like your ears folding over when you pull it on it's not the helmet for you. Once inside though the thing is a dream. The shape is perfect. No pressure points on the crown with a very snug fit around the cheeks. There is no movement of the helmet on my head.
The interior padding is not quite as plush as my old Arai so it feels different, but it's brand new. I'm sure after 7 years of wearing it I'll get used to that feel. Also the AGV comes with a much nicer bag with a heavy carry strap than the old Arai. That isn't a huge plus, but worth noting.
Because the helmet is less expensive I also bought a tinted shield. No more sunglasses inside my helmet. [thumbsup]
Given that I saved a ton of money over the Arai I'm a happy camper.
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4551220950_237f34cc34_b.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4551219596_b08a8fded4_b.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4550580575_05f2b363aa_b.jpg)
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4550582013_d9c7cf1366_b.jpg)
All my Korean friends that ride LOVE the AGVs!
Sorry......
All my......
Korean friends.......
that ride motorcycles........
wear AGV helmets........
Dont know why......
They just do.......
Capiche.......?
:-)
My confusion was what the nationality of a rider has to do with helmet choice.
Maybe you could explain.
I have some friends, that happen to be Korean. For some reason, each and every one of them has an AGV helmet. I have other friends that ride and wear an assortment of manufacturers.......for some reason the group that is of Korean decent, wear the AGV. They love 'em!
went from KBC to Arai Quantum years ago; was very happy. Went from the Quantum to a Shoei Syncrotech II as I needed a flip face, not as happy, but it is a totally different helmet concept so I guess it isn't a good comparison. Will likely go back to Arai when I see something that fits on closeout.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 25, 2010, 06:02:43 AM
Sooo....
I finally got an AGV GP-Tech.
That's the exact same helmet I have, DP, and I'd agree with your initial impressions. The helmet breaks in beautifully, and you won't even know it's there after a while. It's the best helmet I've ever owned. Enjoy! [thumbsup]
HI there,
I have a plain white Arai helmet that's a profile. I have no problems with the helmet what so ever. I tried the Shoei's on and had no luck because the shape of my face. There's lots of manufacture's that are out there so take the time to make sure on fits spot on.
Best of luck and happiness with the purchase of your new helmet !!
Ride Safe,
Kevin